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SSI

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    Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

    Apply for Benefits

    You can apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI):

    • Online (which starts the application process immediately)
    • By calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) to make an appointment to apply either:

    Note: If you are approved, you get SSI benefits for the entire time since the date you applied. That’s why you should apply as soon as possible. If you don’t have everything ready for your application, that’s OK — you can still apply and send any missing information as quickly as you can.

    Getting Your Application Ready

    When you apply for SSI, you need to give Social Security:

    1. Basic facts, like your name, date of birth, and address

    Note: You don’t need to have a fixed address. If you’re experiencing homelessness or don’t have a fixed address, you can still get SSI. Read Social Security’s Spotlight on Homelessness.

    Bring:

    • Identification, like your driver’s license, state ID, or passport
    • Birth certificate
    • Proof of U.S. citizenship if you were born outside the U.S., like naturalization papers or your U.S. passport. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you must be a qualified alien who meets certain conditions. For more details, contact your local Social Security office.
    • Social Security Number
    1. Documentation of your medical condition

    Bring:

    • Names, addresses, and phone numbers of doctors, therapists, hospitals, clinics, and others who have treated you
    • Prescriptions and results of medical tests
    • Documentation explaining how your medical condition affects your daily life

    Be ready to:

    • Sign forms so Social Security can get copies of your medical records
    • Fill out forms about how your disability affects your daily life
    • Give Social Security permission to contact your employer, friends, or family to learn how your disability affects you
    1. Documentation of your income

    Bring:

    • A list of the jobs you've had in the last five years
    • Copies of recent tax records or W-2 forms
    • Information about other benefits you get
    • School records, if you’re under 22
    1. Documentation of your resources

    Bring:

    • Copies of bank statements

    Be ready to:

    • Answer questions and give proof about any savings, retirement accounts, stocks, bonds, real estate, or other resources that you own

    Social Security provides a detailed checklist of the information you need to complete the application process.

    Apply for Other Benefits While Your SSI Application Is Reviewed

    The SSI application can take four months or longer. While you wait for your SSI benefits to begin, apply for other benefits, like:

    To apply for Medicaid, State Supplementary Assistance, SNAP, and FIP, you can:

    Who should apply for State Supplementary Assistance?

    State Supplementary Assistance helps people with disabilities who have low income and low resources and who are in specific living situations. You may qualify if you:

    • Live with a dependent, like a child, spouse, or parent, who has low income and does not get SSI or FIP benefits
    • Live in your own home or apartment and need in-home services from care providers to help you stay at home instead of moving into a residential facility, or
    • Live in a residential care facility approved by Iowa Health and Human Services.

    State Supplementary Assistance has a higher income limit than SSI, so you may qualify even if you don't get SSI. Read about the different income limits for each of these living situations.

    Some people who can get State Supplementary Assistance don't realize that they qualify and never apply for it. If you are in one of these situations, you should apply! Note: Even if you already get SSI benefits or have Medicaid coverage, you must fill out the entire application.

    If you need help applying for State Supplementary Assistance or figuring out if you qualify, talk to your Medicaid caseworker or your local Health and Human Services (HHS) office. Tip: If the person helping you doesn't know about State Supplementary Assistance, you can show them the Iowa Health and Human Services website or this DB101 article.

    Learn more

    What Benefits Do I Get?

    How to see which Social Security and state benefits you get.

    Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

    SSDI helps people with disabilities who worked and paid Social Security taxes.

    Disability-Based Medicaid

    There are more ways to qualify for Medicaid if you have a disability.